Fix Missing Text and Whitespace Issues When Combining PDFs
Question details
Users encounter an issue where text turns into blank whitespace after merging multiple PDF files, despite displaying correctly in the original separate documents.
- Product
- PDF Editor / PDF Merger
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Merging multiple separate PDF documents into a single combined file.
- Observed behavior
- Text formatted in specific fonts, such as Times New Roman, disappears and turns into blank spaces in the combined output file.
Before troubleshooting, ensure you have backup copies of your original source PDFs, and verify that the 'Times New Roman' font is properly installed on your current operating system.
Check Font Embedding and Re-export Source PDFs
Missing text during merging is usually caused by un-embedded fonts in the original documents. Re-exporting the files with embedded fonts prevents encoding conflicts.
When fonts are not embedded, the PDF merger attempts to use system fonts to render the text. If there are encoding conflicts or missing fonts during the merge process, the text may fail to render and appear as whitespace.
Open each of your individual source PDF files in your PDF reader or editor.
Navigate to 'File' > 'Properties' (or Document Properties) and click on the 'Fonts' tab to view the document's font list.
Look for 'Times New Roman' and other standard fonts. Ensure the text '(Embedded Subset)' or '(Embedded)' appears next to the font name.
If fonts are not embedded, open the original document in its native program (such as Microsoft Word). Go to 'File' > 'Save As' > 'PDF', click 'Options', and ensure 'ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)' or the specific 'Embed fonts in the file' option is checked before saving.
Use your PDF combining tool to merge the newly exported PDF files. The text should now render correctly without turning into whitespace.
Switch Between Desktop and Web PDF Mergers
Sometimes the specific PDF engine you are using struggles with particular font encodings. Trying a different platform can bypass the bug.
Merge PDFs Reliably with WPS Office
Avoid font loss and formatting errors by using WPS Office to combine your PDF documents. WPS PDF features a robust rendering engine that perfectly preserves embedded fonts, layouts, and tricky encodings like Times New Roman.
- 1. Open WPS Office: Launch the WPS Office desktop application and select the 'PDF' tab from the main dashboard.
- 2. Select Merge PDF: Click on the 'Merge PDF' tool located in the PDF toolkit menu.
- 3. Add Your Documents: Click the 'Add Files' button and select the separate PDF files you wish to combine into a single document.
- 4. Merge Safely: Arrange the files in your preferred sequence and click 'Merge'. WPS will generate the combined file while keeping all original text intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my text disappear when combining PDFs?
Text often disappears or turns to whitespace because the fonts used (like Times New Roman) were not embedded in the original source files. When the PDF merger creates the new file, encoding conflicts prevent the system from properly rendering the unembedded text.
How do I embed fonts into a PDF file?
To embed fonts, you must adjust the export settings in the original authoring software. In Microsoft Word, for example, go to File > Save As, choose PDF, click Options, and check 'ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)' which forces font embedding.
Can I recover the text in the merged PDF that already has blank spaces?
Usually, the text data is corrupted in the merged file and cannot be easily recovered. The best approach is to fix the font embedding issue in the original source files and perform the merge process again.
Does using a Mac or Windows PC affect how PDFs merge?
Yes, if fonts are not embedded. The merging software relies on the operating system's locally installed fonts. If a specific font version is missing on either OS, the text may render incorrectly. Embedding fonts resolves cross-platform rendering issues.
